1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns an electric toothbrush combining the oral cavity cleansing benefits of bristles and liquid irrigation. The efficiency of power brush cleaning is united with pulsed water to effectively remove plaque from tooth surfaces and to stimulate the gums.
2. The Related Art
It has been established that significant benefits are derived from regular dental care performed in the home by the individual himself together with periodic examination and treatment by professionally trained dentists. It is universally recognized, for example, that regular brushing of the teeth, particularly after every meal, serves to dislodge food particles which ordinarily are retained adjacent the teeth and which, if allowed to remain, would cause decay and dental caries. When properly administered, regular brushing also serves to maintain good circulation in gingival tissue, thereby lessening the likelihood of gingival disease, one of the prime causes of premature loss of teeth. Perhaps of less, but nevertheless significant, importance are the stain removal and brightening actions resulting from regular brushing, which contribute noticeably to the appearance of the individual.
Mechanized toothbrush systems are particularly popular for this purpose. Generally they involve rapid movement of bristles operated by a suitable power source. Power may be imparted through a water driven turbine or an electrically driven mechanism involving a set of gears. More recently ultrasonic vibrational energy has been employed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,150,492 (Suroff) reports that ultrasonic energy when applied under proper control to tooth and gingival surfaces in the human mouth may successfully be employed for regular oral hygienic care without any damage to tooth surfaces or gingival tissues. Ultrasonic cleaning techniques were said to provide a significantly increased cleaning ability around the interproximal and gum line areas in contrast to the inadequate brushing techniques of prior commercial toothbrushes. This patent teaches coupling the toothbrush to a power means and transferring ultrasonic energy from the power means to the ultrasonic implement with the former remaining substantially free from absorbing ultrasonic energy as the vibratory energy is transmitted.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,321,865 (Kaeser et al.) combines the features of a motorized back and forth motion of the brush and use of a pulsating stream of highly pressurized water for final rinsing of the teeth with massaging of the gums.
While mechanized toothbrush technology has significantly advanced, there is still a need for further improvement.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electric toothbrush that combines the efficiency of power brush cleaning with pulsed irrigation to effectively remove plaque from all tooth surfaces.
This and other objects of the present invention will become more readily apparent through consideration of the following summary and detailed discussion.